Architecture Groups Toronto

The Lakeshore Psychiatric Hospital and Camp M (Special Extended Tour)

\*\***The Toronto History Walks Yearly Pass is available. Get it now for $125.00 for 1 year of unlimited tours, email** **torontohistorywalks@gmail.com** **for more information or for signing up!\*\*** \*\* **Please note: Please e-transfer the ticket amount when booking your space for this tour! You can e-transfer to the following email at:** **torontohistorywalks@gmail.com** Elizabeth Simcoe named the area now known as Mimico for the thousands of pigeons that blackened the sky at the western end of the settlement. Mimico was originally located at the confluence of Mimico Creek and Dundas Street. William Gamble, opened a sawmill and built a settlement for the workers nearby. Etobicoke's first church, Christ Church was opened on Church Street which became Royal York Road. Mimico is a walkable neighbourhood and a great place to stroll and discover our amazing history. The Lakeshore Hospital was built in 1888 as the Mimico Asylum, its doors opened on January 21, 1889. The original idea for the hospital was a series of cottages designed by Doctor Joseph Workman who wanted a resort type feel to the hospital. The architect was Kivas Tully, who worked with gardener Samuel Matheson. Most of the buildings were built by the patients themselves, and helped with laundry duties, and tended to the vast gardens. But a different story emerged that most Canadians had no idea about. And that was the story of Camp M - Mimico. In 1887, the Victoria Industrial School for Boys opened on old Horner Avenue in Mimico, just blocks from the site of the new Mimico Hospital for the Insane (Humber College.) The school, which was a juvenile reformatory, hoped to break the bad boys through moral and academic education and old fashioned hard work. I hope there was a positive outcome. In 1927, the school changed its name to the Mimico Reform School. But it was the war years 1939-1945 that really surprised me as a Torontonian. It was known as Camp M or Internment Camp 22, the largest camp for POWs in the centre of a large Canadian city. Most camps were constructed in rural areas, and the camp provided space for more than 520 German nationals. The history of this camp is fascinating and had links to the Toronto Central Prison on Strachan Avenue and the Mimico Hospital directly to the south on lakeshore where we begin this tour. This walking tour is for all levels and walkers. The tour begins at the New Toronto Public Library Branch at 110 Eleventh Street just south of Lakeshore. We end this tour at Kipling and Horner Avenue, just a few blocks to the north of the old hospital! This tour has a ticket price of $15.00 per person! \*\* **Please note: Please e-transfer the ticket amount when booking your space for this tour! You can e-transfer to the following email at:** **torontohistorywalks@gmail.com**

Fine Art /Lingerie/ Fashion Implied- w/ Mathilde Dottir from Denmark (#2)

Fine Art /Lingerie/ Fashion Implied- w/ Mathilde Dottir from Denmark

Landmarks 2: Tecumseh Wigwam to the 1977 Reference Library (NEW)

**The Toronto History Walks Yearly Pass is available. Get it now for $125.00 for 1 year of unlimited tours, email** **torontohistorywalks@gmail.com** **for more information or for signing up!** \*\* **Please note: Please e-transfer the ticket amount when booking your space for this tour! You can e-transfer to the following email at:** **torontohistorywalks@gmail.com** In this new volume, Landmarks revisits the site of some of Toronto's urban legends, and historic buildings that gave rise to the city. This walk's focus is Bloor Street West, and Avenue Road, starting with the rough and tumble saloon known as the Tecumseh Wigwam a boisterous drinking spot at the corner of Avenue Road and Bloor now the elegant Park Plaza Hotel. From there we wander around the area taking in landmarks not otherwise explored on other Toronto History Walks tours. So get your brains and feet ready for a workout my friends. Toronto is a city that hides its history in plain sight. Beneath the glass towers are layers of stories — grand hotels that vanished overnight, political scandals whispered through stone corridors, theatres that once glittered under gaslight, and laneways where the city first learned how to become a metropolis. This new Toronto History Walks series of 60 different walking tours invites the walker to slow down, and see the city differently. Over the course of 30 carefully chosen stops, this walking tour traces the landmarks that helped shape the history of Toronto. Beginning at the site of the legendary Holland House — once one of the city’s finest mansions, and a gathering place for politicians, and businessmen, the route winds through the old heart of downtown, uncovering stories both famous and forgotten. Some locations are grand and imposing. Others are easy to walk past without a second glance. Every stop reveals a piece of Toronto’s personality. At Osgoode Hall, visitors will stand before one of the city’s most elegant historic buildings. Nearby, the old banks and newspaper buildings of the financial district recall an era when Toronto proudly called itself “Toronto the Good,” even as corruption and backroom dealings simmered beneath the surface. The tour also explores the vanished city — the Toronto that survives only in photographs, and memory. Walkers will discover where magnificent Victorian structures once stood before demolition crews erased entire blocks in the name of progress. Former theatres, hotels, markets, and department stores emerge again through storytelling, helping modern explorers imagine the bustle, smoke, and noise of earlier generations. Stories of fire, disaster, celebration, and reinvention. Participants will hear how the Great Fire of 1904 transformed downtown streets, how immigrant communities reshaped neighbourhoods block by block, and how Toronto repeatedly reinvented itself through booms, depressions, wars, and waves of newcomers. But this tour is not simply about dates and buildings. It is about people. The politicians who argued over Confederation. The hotel clerks who witnessed scandals. The newspaper editors who shaped public opinion. The shopkeepers, labourers, entertainers, and ordinary Torontonians whose lives unfolded along these same streets. Toronto has always had hidden corners and strange tales: tunnels beneath streets, forgotten cemeteries beneath office towers, unsolved crimes, and buildings said to carry echoes of the past. Even longtime residents may find themselves surprised by what has been quietly standing before them all along. Come along and experience a very different city. A deep dive into our history. This walking tour begins at the northeast **corner** of Avenue Road, and Bloor Street West adjacent to the church steps. We end at the Reference Library at Yonge and Asquith just north of Bloor Street East. This walking tour is for all walking levels. Please dress for the season, and hope to see you there. This tour has a ticket price of $15.00 per person. \*\* **Please note: Please e-transfer the ticket amount when booking your space for this tour! You can e-transfer to the following email at:** **torontohistorywalks@gmail.com**

SDD in the Park

Summer's here. We're taking it outside. Join us at Trinity Bellwoods for an evening of good company, fresh air, and the kind of conversations you actually remember. We'll have a couple of design games to get things going — fun, low-key, no prep needed. Then we let the evening do its thing. **What to expect** ✅ A couple of SD-flavoured games to warm things up ✅ Good conversation with people who get what you do ✅ Potluck vibes — bring enough to share with a few people ✅ Light snacks and pop, on us **What to bring** \- A blanket to sit on \- A snack or drink \- something from home\, a favourite\, a memory\, something with a story behind it \- If you want\, a friend or guest can be added as part of your ticket 📢 RSVP here so we can plan snacks & drinks accordingly Sorry, no refunds for this event. Join the Discord group: https://discord.gg/x9uRrxp9n,

Dupont Morning Code

[Summary] This meetup is for those who are interested in code, web development, design, cloud, or AI. All levels are welcome, so feel free to bring your laptop and discuss what you are working on or what you are learning. You can share your projects and ideas with other participants freely. There are outlets and WiFi, drinks are about $5 for tea, they take card only. [Price] Attendance is FREE. But you need to buy something from the venue. [Policies] \- We do not tolerate harassment of our members \- We remind users that that this meetup is intended for networking and hobby development\, and any attempts at using this meetup event as a dating platform will not be not be tolerated Further information: https://torontostack.exchange/

Kensington Market's Pedestrian Sundays

Hey all, Kensington Market's Pedestrian Sundays are back and it's a great opp for some great photos and exploration of the neighbourhood. If you are unfamiliar, the streets are closed off for people so it's quite an electric atmosphere, This is a free event and open to everyone, even if you just want to meet people. There is no real agenda, usually we just meet as a group and see how the day goes. Hope to see you then! Paul

Figure & Form w/ Harley

Beauty & Fashion w/ Sasha

Beauty & Fashion w/ Ann

Figure & Form w/ Harley - 2nd Session

Relaxing with Art, Chill Convos and Making New Friends

*Unwind, get creative, and connect with cool people.* Looking for a calm space to do some art, have meaningful (or silly) convos, and meet new friends in the city? This is your spot. I’ll be bringing **colouring pages and markers** for anyone who just wants to show up and relax. You're also totally welcome to bring whatever creative activity helps *you* unwind — think **sketchpads, mini canvases and paint, journals, clay sculpting, wire bending, model building kits, and collage supplies**. We’ll hang out, make art, and enjoy chill conversations in a cozy, no-pressure environment. No experience or talent required — just bring yourself and whatever helps you feel creative and calm. **✦ What to Bring (optional):** *Any relaxing art or activity you enjoy **✦ I’ll provide:** - Colouring pages, markers, and good vibes **Where to Meet (Across from Shoppers at the Food Hall inside The Well):** *The easiest way to get to the venue is to make your way to La Plume restaurant or The Dorset restaurant and turn towards the statue then take the stairs to the lower level. - Shoppers will be on the right and across from Shoppers will be an entrance to The Well's food court. *Make a left and you should see the long tables. - **We'll meet at the long tables across from Shoppers** Come solo or bring a friend — this is all about slowing down, making connections, and enjoying a creative evening together ✨